When it was clear that Tom Brady was nearing the end of his career, it was obvious that the Buffalo Bills were counting the days until they hoped to take over the division that had been dominated by the New England Patriots for the last two decades. That dream became a reality when the quarterback left the team in 2020, leading to the Bills' dominance in the AFC East for the past five seasons.
Their championship window was wide open, but just like history repeats itself, the Bills were unable to accomplish much of anything during that time, despite the collapse of their immediate foes, most importantly, the Patriots.
Although they've inched closer to the Super Bowl, it still looks like the lights are too bright for the historically losing franchise, and now they're scrambling because the Patriots are well on their way to winning the division far sooner than the division hoped.
They have already gotten to the point of accepting what might be their fate and dealing with the divisional crown going back to where it rightfully belongs, back in Foxboro.
Bills fans are already mourning the loss of the AFC East to the Patriots
While it may be premature to already assume the Patriots are going to win the AFC East this season, as there are five games left to be played and they're currently dealing with a slew of major injuries, the writing appears on the wall in the eyes of Bills fans, who are begrudgingly accepting that they failed to accomplish the ultimate goal when they had the chance.
Brandon Ray of BuffaLowDown shared what most Bills fans are feeling going into Week 13, after Buffalo is coming off another brutal loss, and the Patriots are heading into another winnable game in primetime.
"I’m not saying that this is the start to near 20-year run by the Patriots once again, but with Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye being the perfect head coach/quarterback duo at this time, the Bills will officially have some serious competition in their division for the first time this decade."
Superstitiously, this feels a bit premature to conclude, but given who the Patriots have left on the schedule, it doesn't feel too far off to believe they could win the division in short order, while the Bills will be vying for a wildcard spot in the playoffs.
It appears this is a consistent feeling amongst Bills fans, as the disappointment with their potential future is starting to set in for others on social media.
I’ll tell ya what, in the likely scenario we don’t win the division… I will absolutely be calling New England a fluke. They do not impress me whatsoever
— Ryan (@BuffaloRyann) November 23, 2025
Hopefully, that will become a familiar feeling for them, while the Patriots continue to experience success. Building upon this year will be crucial to sustaining that beyond the 2025 season, especially since their 2026 schedule already looks brutal.
But with Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye in tow, as Ray stated, plus a league-high cap space and a stockpile of draft picks, there should be a lot of optimism that this is only the beginning of another impressive run by the six-time Super Bowl Champions.